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3.01.2005    |    Tradition, tradition
I can almost hear Zero Mostel singing, as he defined the role of Tevye the milkman in Fiddler on the Roof. One of the themes of this great, if overly sentimental play, is that tradition can provide stability in an uncertain and dangerous world -- until it interferes with what your heart tells you to do.

Well, that's what tradition does -- provide stability. In our faith, the Reformation put paid to the conceit that human-inspired traditions may take the place of Christ's eternal and unchanging message. This is a heresy that seems to have started as early as the first century, as we have Paul admonishing the church at Colosse in his letter (Colossians, Chapter 2):
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Now, one man's tradition may be another's heresy, and how we interpret Scripture is itself subject to controversy. And, before we Protestants get too haughty and discard all sorts of babies with the traditional holy bath water, we need to examine anything that seems to be in place in our own faith tradition simply because it is a tradition.

Tradition is in the eye of the beholder, it seems. My take is that the least departure from the written word of Scripture is best. Before all of you sola scriptura folks, myself included, start nodding furiously, consider how much we have departed from the literal word in things such as, oh, to pick an easy one, killing those who commit adultery:
Leviticus 20:10 If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
An explanation for such commands, directly from God, mind you, is that the "death" is a spiritual death. A separation from God and His people. Harsh enough.

Our tradition, of course, now tells us that the cross of Christ provides for the salvation of sinners who believe, confess Him as Lord, and repent of their sins. At least some of us. So, the Christian "tradition" is to relieve the sinner from immediate execution, and let him await judgment from the Lord at the end.

But our "new" tradition is really not new. It is simply the continuation of using Scripture as our ultimate authority. John tells us, at the end of Revelation, that the Book is sealed (Revelation 22:18). While I've often wondered about this, I accept it.

At least that's my tradition -- least departure from the written Word is best. What's yours?

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1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have just recently found your site. After sifting through the trash heap of "chistian" blogs. Your posts and a few others are rare gems.

6:57 AM, March 02, 2005  

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About this site and the author

Welcome. My name is John Luke Rich, (very) struggling Christian. The focus here is Christianity in its many varieties, its fussing and feuding, how it impacts our lives and our society, with detours to consider it with other faiths (or lack thereof).

Call this blog my way of evangelizing on the internet.

Putting it differently, we're only here on this earth a short time. It's the rest of eternity that we should be most concerned about. Call it the care and feeding of our souls.

I was born Jewish, and born again in Christ Jesus over thirty years ago. First as a Roman Catholic; now a Calvinist by persuasion and a Baptist by denomination. But I'm hardly a poster boy for doctrinal rigidity.

I believe that Scripture is the rock on which all Christian churches must stand -- or sink if they are not so grounded. I believe that we are saved by faith, but hardly in a vacuum. That faith is a gift from God, through no agency on our part -- although we sometimes turn a deaf ear and choose to ignore God's knocking on the door.

To be Christian is to evangelize. Those who think it not their part to evangelize perhaps haven't truly understood what our Lord told us in Matthew 28. We must preach the Gospel as best we are able. Using words if necessary.

Though my faith waxes and wanes, it never seems to go away. Sometimes I wish it would, to give me some peace of mind. But then, Jesus never said that walking with Him was going to be easy...

Final note: I also blog as Jack Rich on cultural, political and other things over at Wrong Side of the Tracks

Thanks for stopping by.